Latch for container



Oct. 6, 1964 T. F. KELLEY 3,151,899

LATCH FOR CONTAINER Filed June 23. 1961 IN V EN TOR.

-10 BYTfio/was ffel/ey t Ave, New York, N.

'61, er. No. 1192M 25 2-17) This invention relates to latching means fora box and cover and more specifically to latching means that may bemoulded integrally with box-sections and has for one of its objects toprovide an improved latch of this type that may be moulded by means of asimple constructed mould having no moving parts to finish the undercutportion of the latch that provides friction means to hold thebox-sections closed.

A further object is to provide a latch of this type that automaticallyincreases its resistance to disengagement my forces applied other thanthose that are properly applied directly to the latch.

A further object is to provide a latch of this type moulded integrallywith box-sections to provide a box and cover having latching means, saidbox comprising two identical parts that may be moulded with a singlecavity mould.

A further object is to provide a latch of this type to hold thebox-sections more securely against their relative lateral movement.

A further object is to provide a latch of tins type having frictionholding surface of more than one angle to present a variation offriction pressures to its disengagement to hold box-sections tightlyclosed.

A further object is to provide a latch of this type having relativelarge bearing surface as holding means to prevent fast wear.

Other features of the invention reside in the construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin the appended claim.

in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of two identical box-sections shown withhinges removed and in detached but aligned position showing my improvedlatch structure. FIG. 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2 2 of FlG. 1.FIG. 3 is a top view of FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a front view of FIG. 3. FIG. 5is a front view of FIG. 3 showing the box-sections closed in properlatched relation. FIG. 6 is a fragmentary detail view taken crosswise ofbox-section along the center of the hole of the flat lug indicatingdiagrammatically an arrangement of dies suitable for injection mouldingof this portion of the latching means and FIG. 7 is a similar view takenalong the center of the spherical member of the other lug. FIG. 8 is aside view of a modified form of the spherical member suitable for myimproved latch. FIG. 9 is a top view of PEG. 8 and FIG. 10 is afragmentary detail view of an arrangement of dies to indicate priormethod of producing the undercut portion of latching means used inbox-sections to provide only one angle for friction holding means, by aretractable member of the die.

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention shown in FIGS. l5inclusive and FIGS. 8 and 9, iii and 11 indicates the body and cover ofinterchangeable boxsections that may be moulded of a plastic materialand formed with complementary male and female latch ele ments along theupper edge of their front walls so that their mating fiiction bearingsurfaces are in suitable space "ice relation to each other and from theends of the box-sections and being of a size and shape so as toyieldingly receive each other in an interlocking snap like action tohold the bo -sections in proper closed relation.

Attached to one side of the center of the front wall 12 of eachbox-section is a lug 13 having on its end a spherical member 14 with itsupper portion extending above the upper edge of the box-section and onthe other side of the center of the wall a substantially flat lug 15extending from the upper edge of the wall out a distance and havingthereon a boss 16 projection from the front upper surface of the lug adistance to extend slightly over the hole 17 which extends through thelug substantially in lateral alignment with the spherical member so thatwhen the box-sections are rotated on their hinges the boss 16 willpresent a yielding resistance to the front portion of the matingspherical member as the box-sections are closed.

It may be seen that the inner spherical surface 13 of the boss 16conforms to the lower portion of the spherical member 14 and that thiscurved surface may present its greatest resistance to the latchesdisengagement at that position where the box-sections are completelyclosed and that by the direct forcing of the latch with the fingers thelug 15 and the front Walls will spring in a direction to allowcomparatively easy disengagement of latch whereas other forces appliedto spring the box open will tend to spring the lug and Wall in theopposite direction to more tightly bind the latch. Referring now toFIGS. 8 and 9 that show a modification of the spherical element suitablefor my latching means and which lends for simple die construction, thiselement consists of two semispherical portions with the smaller sizepositioned at the top with its front portion in line with front portionof the large semispherical element and will allow for clearance at thepoint 19 shown in FIG. 2.

I do not wish to limit the use of this latch to boxes.

I claim as my invention:

An integrally moulded latch for box-sections, each section having twolugs projecting from one side thereof in transversely aligned relation,one of the said lugs having formed thereon a part spherical memberextending beyond the adjacent edge of the box-sections and the other ofsaid two lugs being substantially fiat and extending from said adjacentedge of the box-sections out a distance and having a complemental holeextending through it at substantially right angles to the joint plane ofthe boxsections and being of a size to freely receive the upper portionof the said spherical member, the hole and spherical member beingsubstantially an equal distance from the ends of the box-sections andsaid flat lug having formed thereon a boss extending toward the opposingspherical member over a portion of the front edge of the hole to bearagainst the mating spherical member to yieldingly restrain thebox-sections in a closed position.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNZTED STATES PATENTS2,289,037 Poglein July 7, 1942.

2,336,699 Neth et a1 Dec. 14, 1943 2,828,789 Groendyk et al Apr. 1, 1958FOREIGN PATENTS 486,367 Great Britain June 2, 1938

